On February 29, 2024, the Rowan Writing Arts Department was honored to have award-winning author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah on campus for a live reading of his novel, Chain-Gang All-Stars — which was a national bestseller, New York Times’ Top 10 Book of the Year, and a finalist for the National Book Award.

​Following the fireside chat, Adjei-Brenyah’s main event took place at Boyd Recital Hall, which many students, faculty, and visitors came excited with their love for him and his work. Prior to him coming to the stage, two amazing Writing Arts students and Poetic Justice executive board members Maureen Castle and Mia-Sara King performed their original spoken word pieces. Although their pieces touched on two drastically different perspectives, the both of them stunningly set up the passion in hearing writing come to life. While the pieces themselves already weighed-in with their experiences and their emotions, you felt their intention in the words as they spoke. In other words, it felt much less like a performance and more a showcase of who they are and who they want to be.

Following the reading, there was a Q&A held for the larger audience which was moderated by Professor Ariana Tucker. Adjei-Brenyah expanded on story choices within Chain-Gang All-Stars, specifically his deep-dive research into the inherent racism and classism of the American prison system and how it embeds itself into a plethora of organizations complicit in its violence. He also puts into perspective the purpose of making his main character, Loretta Thurwar, a black queer woman. A highlight of the Q&A was in discussing the weapons that she and the other characters used, such as his accident symbols of a hammer and scythe through death and labor that he was originally inspired by the anime Soul Eater.

Adjei-Brenyah also expanded on some earlier topics of the fireside chat concerning the writing process and why we write in the first place. One question led to him to discussing very passionately that someone will need your writing even when you don’t think so. He exemplifies that writing is an art that might not create as obvious of a result as something like sculpting, but someone will find the need in it — that someone will need your writing.

While it can be easy to discuss about Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah and Chain-Gang All-Stars by their successes, what’s more to it is a writer and his book, a person and their story. From both events, students didn't take away the step-by-step process of becoming a successfully known author; they didn't need to because that wasn’t the purpose. Adjei-Brenyah exemplified why personal purpose is all the more important, especially in an art like writing. Just as long as you allow it to find its own finality.

Pound for pound, Avant Literary Magazine is one of, if not, the most invaluable resource a Rowan Writing Arts student has available to them on campus. As the university’s second oldest club, it's been producing collections of undergraduate work each semester for nearly 60 years. For those who participate in either the club meetings or serve on the Executive Board, Avant provides a wealth of experience in giving and receiving criticism as well as seeing how a literary magazine gets made. As an Assistant Editor myself (and Avant’s #1 fan), I’m going to take you inside Avant with descriptions of what we do and interviews with the E-Board. 
  
Firstly, what’s it like to go to an Avant meeting? Undergraduate students submit their work, whether that's a short story, poem, or even a drawn piece of artwork or photography, and then we compile them into a manuscript that we read together during meetings. I went to club meetings my entire Freshman year before joining the E-Board, and I can tell you that Avant takes all kinds. There’s talkative ones (like me), but if you wish to simply read and keep your thoughts to yourself, you’re free to do so. We read or view the piece before going through praise, then critique, and finally, voting. 
  
Yes, club members get to vote on what gets accepted into the magazine. One can vote “accept”, “submit” or “abstain”. Abstaining is usually reserved for those who may have missed the initial reading or know the author personally, or are the author. Sometimes, with pieces we especially like but might not be quite an accept, we deem those a “strong resubmit”, one’s we’d like to see again sometime. Unlike most other lit mags, you can resubmit a piece to Avant as many times as it takes for it to get accepted. 
    
My job as an Assistant Editor is to receive these submissions, write down feedback during meetings and let the author know the status of their piece. But it takes a village. My good friend Steven Flickinger is also an Assistant Editor. We split the work by alternating the note-taking duties in meetings and catching new submissions whenever we can. I asked him what the best and worst parts of the job are, and this is what he told me: 

“I think the best is probably…being able to be an editor and an active member of the club and contributing to the magazine at the same time. Worst part is, I’d say, Hell Night emails. Something part of the regular process is turning people’s critiques into something we can put in an email.” 

Being on the E-Board hasn’t stopped any of the members from still submitting pieces to the magazine and getting accepted. In the case of resubmits, Steven and I turn that feedback into a concise email for the author to take into consideration. What Steven was saying is that sometimes that feedback can be hard to transcribe. “It's giving Shakespeare vibes” is a little too vague to put down in an email, yeah? Oh, and there’s Hell Night. Hell Night is the meeting following the submission deadline, where we start early and end late. Sometimes the number of submissions reaches 100 and over. Afterwards, the Assistant Editors go through and send out feedback emails. 

Steven and I work closely with the club President, Editor in Chief—our boss—Kelsey Pederson. We put the submissions in the right folders and log them in our spreadsheet so Kelsey can compile the pieces into the meeting manuscripts. They help guide the conversation from praise to critique and finally, onto the vote. 

We make a lot of hay during the discussion and voting process but it wouldn’t much matter if we didn’t have someone to put the actual magazine together. Sam Szumloz is our Graphic Layout Designer, “...which means that I make the latest editions through Adobe InDesign. I copy and paste the latest pieces and artwork into the page layout design software and basically prepare it for hardcover printing", she explained. It's Sam’s job to make sure each piece appears in the magazine as it should be. (No pressure.) You’ll be able to see her work in the upcoming Fall 2024 edition of Avant. 

Our Social Media Coordinator is Rob Pallente, master of the digital domain. Most recently, our social media accounts reached out with a call for more artwork and the announcement of the March 27th submission deadline, (get those pieces in now, folks). Last but certainly not least is our Treasurer, Jackie Ganter. While Jackie isn’t a Writing Arts major, she’s a huge part of making the magazine possible: “I manage our budget for printing and food! The magazine is a great way to get involved with the writing department, even if you aren’t part of it!” 

Avant will be hosting a standard meeting on Marth 20th after we return from Spring Break. We meet in room 301 at 260 Victoria Street from 7PM to 9PM on Wednesdays. Hell Night is always on a Friday, so feel free to stop by at any point in the process, whether that means when we first start and still have light and hope in our eyes, or after midnight when we can hardly form a thought. Even if you can’t make it, picking up an issue around campus and giving your fellow students’ work a read, or even submitting your own work before the deadline, is a great way to not just get involved, but be a good literary citizen in your local writing community. It's a big, scary world out there when it comes to publishing, but Avant can give you a starting place to start learning about working at, and with, literary magazines. 
    
​Hope to see you at Hell Night. 

​By Adam Buckley

Rowan’s dedication to writing is proved by its focus on writing through its Writing Arts classes and major. However, even before the Writing Arts department formerly existed, Rowan supported writing in groundbreaking ways. 

​Rowan University was first called Glassboro Normal School, which opened in 1923. Its support of writing began only sixteen years later, with the start of the school newspaper The Whit. The Whit, which still exists today and recently produced a special centennial edition, started in March of 1939, while President Bunce was head of the university. The Whit is a school newspaper whose informative purpose has remained constant since 1939. 
There were other early writing organizations on campus as well. For example, Avant Literary Magazine’s first issue was created in 1960. Avant is still in existence, and recently released their Fall Semester 2022 edition on October 9th, 2023. Another example is the publication Venue, founded in 1967. Venue was a student-opinion magazine on campus that ran from 1979 until 2012. 

However, writing soon began to be embraced on a level outside campus-level publications. In 1966, six faculty members split from the English department to create another department. This department is unique because it’s focused on writing instead of literature. The man behind this was George Reinfeld. Reinfeld’s dream was to create a separate department to focus on writing and journalism. The faculty members who came with him in this venture were John Collins, Sam Duryee, Mary Anne Palladino, Glen Thomas, and Allan Weinberg. Information about this split is found in the 50th Anniversary video of the School of Communications, here. During this time, this division was called the Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences. However, the communication aspects of this were bigger than the rest of the division. Eventually, the communications aspect had so many students enrolled and was such a big program it had to separate. It transformed into the Department of Communications. 

The communications department initially housed five specializations: Communication Studies, Journalism and Creative Writing, College Composition and Rhetoric, Radio Television and Film, and Public Relations, as explained by Professor Ron Block and Dr. Libro during their personal interviews. A major goal for College Composition and Rhetoric was to handle teaching the Composition I and II classes, and educate the entire campus. This was a huge task — and at some points they even needed help from the English department.

​This department was positively received by academics at conferences, as well as boasting high enrollment status. The effectiveness of their department was proved in 1980. In 1980, the State Board of Higher Education designated the Department of Communications as a Program of Distinction. This was a high honor, and continued to positively affect the department’s reputation and enrollment. 

In 1992 Rowan received its generous and historically significant donation from Mr. Henry Rowan. Because of this, Glassboro State college then became Rowan University. The shift from college to university had rippling effects that were felt all over the expanding campus. 

During July of 1996, the Board of Trustees voted and unanimously decided to evolve the Department of Communications into School of Communications. This changed the specializations into departments. Dr. Antionette “Toni” Libro was appointed dean of the school. Toni Dr. Libro described these changes as “technical terms” that still reflects “the development and growth” of the communications school as a whole. 

The Ric Edelman College of Communication and Creative Arts start as the Department of Communication is crucial. Because the college started as a department, it meant the faculty and courses used to be intimately connected. When a department becomes a school, it becomes harder to work together because departments are so specialized. 

Linda Bateman described her own time while the school was a department, stating, “We had a lot of flexibility in courses we taught and could cross what are now department lines easily. For instance, after only a semester of teaching College Comp I, I began teaching an advertising course, publication layout and design and College Comp I or II, eventually spending several years teaching Advertising and related courses without teaching CC. I was advisor to the Ad Club…” Because of the communication school's roots as a department, there is a history of collaboration between all of the departments. Dr. Antoinette Libro and Linda Bateman both described that there was a shift when the departments separated, and and that interdepartmental connectivity was harder to maintain. However, as Libro recounted, the relationships and bonds still persist from that era. Because of this, the school is strengthened by its earlier traditions of community.  

​Along with being dean during the time of this transition, Dr. Libro also contributed in many ways to what would become the Writing Arts program. Dr. Libro oversaw and championed the launch of the Master’s in Writing Arts program in 1999. This was the first master’s program in the School of Communications in over thirty years. The first one was a master's in Public Relations in 1969, created by Professor George Reinfeld and Donald Bagin. This momentous day was celebrated by hosting illustrious speakers. Gay Talese and Barbra Lounsberry attended and spoke at this event. Talese is an international best-selling author, and Barbara Lounsberry was his then-partner in editing an anthology. This event was enjoyable and impactful to both the new graduate students, and the undergraduate students as well. The Master’s in Writing Arts program by far succeeded the creators expectations, and became very successful in enrollment. In 2002, the first international students joined the Master’s in Writing Arts Program. 

Also in 2002, Rowan was chosen as a site for the National Writing Project. This was a huge honor and meant that Rowan would be hosting writing conferences in the summer and winter. The goal of this was to inform educators about teaching writing. More information about this can be found here.

The years between 2004 and 2005 were huge for what would become the Writing Arts department. To begin, in 2004 the Composition of Composition and Rhetoric was awarded the Conference on College Composition and Communication’s (CCCC)’s Writing Program Certificate of Excellence. Around this time as well, is when the departments began to be restructured. The Journalism department split from the Department of Journalism and Creative Writing. The Creative Writing specialization, now merged with the College Composition and Rhetoric department in 2005. This brought clubs Venue and Avant into the new department. It was at this point that the Writing Arts department as we know it was created.

​There had already been a focus and interest in creative writing. Writing Children’s Stories and Creative Writing I were hugely popular. This is discussed in Writing Arts intern BriAnna Sankley’s article, “Top 3 Writing Arts Classes: Makes them So Memorable?”, which reveals that Writing Children’s Stories and Creative Writing I are still the most popular classes on campus. College Composition I and II, which were a hallmark of the department, were carried over into the Writing Arts department. New classes began to be formed - chief among them, the Writers’ Mind, a course that Linda Bateman and Dr. Antoinette Libro both acknowledged by name while discussing prominent courses in the major.  

This broadening of the program led to changes in the goals of the courses and instruction. Now, the desired outcome was for an ever broader understanding of writing, according to Dr. Libro. Specialized courses, like Intro the Technical Writing, Biomedical Writing, and Writing for the Workplace were created as well as courses focusing on reactive writing. This makes the Writing Arts classes not only appealing to the fascinated lovers of creative writing, but to any major and individual on campus. 

The accessibility of writing for everyone was furthered in 2009. In 2009, the Writing Center was founded under director Deb Martin. 

​The Writing Arts program has continued to evolve and grow in recent years as well. In 2011, the Glassworks literary magazine was launched. Now Glassworks has a graduate class, an internship, and connections with influential writers. The Writing Arts Club was created in 2018, as confirmed by former president Diana DeSimine. Even this year, 2023, a new writing-themed club Poetic Justice was chartered by the SGA. 

​There are lots of influential and evolving events even besides new clubs. This semester hosted the new class, Worldbuilding taught by Professor Tim Donaldson. This class has never been taught before — and was a huge success. The Spoken Word was introduced as a new special topics class in fall of 2022, and then evolved to a regular class in Spring 2023. This information is confirmed by Mia-Sara King, a former member of the class. and e-board member of Poetic Justice. This summer, the campus hosted their first ever “Writing Arts Career Day". Last semester, the Writing Arts department piloted “Writing Ambassadors Program” led by Dr. Amy Reed, Dr. Jaclyn Partyka. This program saw three Writing Arts majors, Nyds Rivera, Chloe Mortier, and myself talk to CC1 classes about possible Writing Arts classes they could take.  

The Rowan writing program has been constantly evolving since 1966. It continues to evolve and grow now. The only constant is the emphasis and support for writing and creativity within our department. 

​Writing Children’s Stories had an 80% vote in first place, Creative Writing I had a 60% vote in second place and Intro to Writing Arts had a 40% vote, in third place. Are these results surprising to you? I honestly would have to agree with my peers, as I believe this is a fine list of the top 3 classes in the Writing Arts department, but of course every course has something specific to teach that can be beneficial to an individual's writing. That’s why section tally is a great tool to utilize, in order to see all of the wonderful courses the Writing Arts Department has to offer. Students were asked, what was the most memorable Writing Arts class to you, and why? A senior Writing Arts major had responded, 

​

“My most memorable Writing Arts class was my Creative Writing 1 class with Professor Romano. It was the first class I took for my Writing Arts degree, and she really pushed us to leave our comfort zone and try new things. There are so many writing techniques and ideas that I likely would not have tried, had I not taken that class. I have carried those things with me to other classes, both Writing Arts and not.” 

​

What a beautiful answer, thank you for sharing! I remember taking Creative Writing 1 in the Spring, and I also learned many different writing techniques, due to workshops and lessons that pushed me out of my comfort zone. Writing is about taking risks, and going outside of the box. Sometimes you may surprise yourself, and create something you didn’t know you were capable of. Creative Writing 1 was definitely a memorable experience, and I think many Writing Arts majors would agree. 

​

Students were asked, Which Writing Arts class would you recommend to someone who is considering majoring in Writing Arts at Rowan? Why would they enjoy it? Quite a few students had responded with the course, “Writing Children's Stories” as their answer. A graduate student in the Writing Arts MA program had responded, 

​

“I would suggest the class Writing Children's Stories. The writing involved offered a wide range of age groups to study, each with its own structures and nuances. It really helped me grow as a writer and understand how to choose a target audience that fits my writing preferences. Poetry is also a good choice. It teaches the subtlety of language and the use of metaphor and imagery. These skills recommend themselves to any form of writing.”

​

I couldn’t have said it better myself! Writing Children’s Stories is a wonderful class that teaches writers how to write for many different age groups starting with picture books, and ending with young adult novels. It’s set up to dabble in each age, and show you the differences as the class goes on. I remember when I took the class, we actually wrote and illustrated our own picture books. Although picture books were an entertaining task, it was also eye opening to see how much work goes into them. The focus surrounding picture books was on, “page turns”, you wanted to make the story interesting enough on each page, that the reader would have a reason to turn it and read more. That lesson stuck with me in writing, not only children’s stories, but writing in general. I find myself questioning if what I’m writing is something that an audience would feel compelled to keep reading, if the answer is no, then I know revision is needed. It’s a tool you can use in your writing life, ask yourself, would you turn the page? 

​

A few senior Writing Arts majors had responded that, Intro to Writing Arts, would be a beneficial course to recommend to a new student in the major in order to get them acquainted with how the course work is organized. I would have to agree, although it is a requirement to take this course, it was extremely helpful for me, especially as a transfer student. When I transferred into Rowan, I had joined a group of students who had already been in the major for 2 years, where I was completely new. Intro to Writing Arts taught me many different styles of writing, and it explained many opportunities and events that the major had to offer. Definitely don’t wait to take this course if you're a Writing Arts major, it will help you on your road to success. 

​

What are you waiting for? Writing Children’s Stories is the number one class here in the Writing Arts department, take a chance and add it to your Spring schedule. You might just find your all time favorite class, and a new love for picture books.


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In today's ever-evolving landscape of higher education, institutions are increasingly recognizing the importance of engaging and relevant coursework that not only enriches the minds of their students but also reflects the cultural currents of our time. College students can now discover the harmony between academia and pop culture, where they’re not just consumers but active contributors to the academic discourse.

A new wave of innovation is sweeping across campuses, one that empowers college students to propose and shape courses related to their favorite pop artists. This exciting approach not only fosters a deeper connection between academia and popular culture but also underscores the significance of student agency in curriculum development. In this article, we delve into the transformative power of this educational paradigm shift, exploring how it's inspiring students to explore their passions, encouraging critical thinking, and redefining the boundaries of traditional learning. 

In the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, Rowan University professors Amy Reed and Jason Luther decided to plan a course proposal contest that would allow students to suggest electives they were interested in learning about. Reed shares that, “The course was proposed by Dr. Jason Luther as a way of promoting our programs to students outside of Writing Arts.” Reed, who is an associate professor, teaches in the technical writing concentration and health science communication program. She’s worked at Rowan University for ten years, and was the undergraduate coordinator for the Writing Arts department during the time of the contest. 

Luther stated, “Over 50 students pitched us something using a google form. We also worked hard to get this response, asking instructors to add a module about it in their courses in Canvas and blasting list surveys across campus.” There was one winner of the contest, however, Luthor added, “I know we were going to keep running these contests but the committee that took this on was very busy in 2021-2023.” Reed stated that the winning course was on writing about difference, and was actually separately proposed by two non-writing arts students. 

After the first competition, it was never held again. Reed said, “While I thought the contest was a great idea, it did not work out in practice. We ended up not being able to offer the winning course because when it came time to register, not enough students signed up for it. This was disappointing to us and a major reason why we did not run a course contest a second time.” One might wonder if it’s because student proposed courses wouldn’t align with the curriculum or reputation of the college itself. However, there are many benefits towards allowing students to suggest their own college courses.

Student-proposed courses can significantly enhance a college student's learning experience by providing personalization, relevance, and empowerment in their education. These courses enable students to pursue their specific interests, ensuring the curriculum remains up-to-date with emerging trends and diverse perspectives. They encourage interdisciplinary learning, offer career preparation, foster innovation, and promote active participation, problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills. By involving students in the course proposal process, colleges empower them to take ownership of their education, leading to greater engagement, motivation, and a deeper connection to their academic journey.

Integrating pop culture into education can further enrich a college student's learning experience. By allowing students to explore the intersection of popular culture with academic disciplines, colleges and universities can tap into the power of students' interests and the societal relevance of pop culture. This integration can make the learning process more relatable and engaging, as it connects academic content with the everyday experiences and interests of students. It also promotes critical thinking and analytical skills, encouraging students to evaluate and analyze cultural phenomena, media, and entertainment through an academic lens. Moreover, this approach can spark discussions on social issues, diversity, and representation, as pop culture often reflects and influences these aspects of society. As a result, the integration of pop culture into student-proposed courses not only aligns education with contemporary interests but also enhances critical thinking, creativity, and the application of academic knowledge in the real world.

Reed was initially excited about the competition to help students verbalize their ideas and concepts. Reed stated, “We wanted to involve students in the process of designing curriculum and to learn more about what students were excited to learn about.” Rowan does offer a class titled ‘Writing About Popular Culture’ that is taught by professor Luther.

Despite the challenges encountered in the initial attempt at hosting a course proposal contest at Rowan University, there are compelling reasons for the institution to consider conducting another contest. The experience of the first contest provided valuable insights into the dynamics of student involvement in curriculum development, and it demonstrated the eagerness of students to contribute to the academic discourse. Hosting another contest could allow Rowan to build upon the lessons learned, refine the contest structure, and address previous obstacles. 

It offers an opportunity to further engage students in the process of shaping their education, providing them with a sense of ownership and empowering them to express their ideas and concepts. By persisting in this endeavor, Rowan can foster a culture of innovation and collaboration between students and faculty, ultimately enhancing the educational experience and ensuring that the curriculum remains relevant and responsive to the ever-evolving needs and interests of its diverse student body.

It’s unclear what the next steps to establishing a new course contest are, but many students are eager to suggest topics of interest. Senior communications major, Serena Klun, says, “I think that student suggested courses could be a great way to encourage student engagement.” When asked if she had any ideas for a new course, she said, “I would suggest a course focused on propaganda and its impact on crisis communication.” Klun is passionate about her major, but she feels as if she’s missing out on academic flexibility because of required courses. If there were several major courses deviating from the harrowing required major classes, Klun believes there would be more student engagement and discussion.

The purpose of a university is to educate. However, its purpose is also to create a community with connections and support. And not all communities and education happen in classrooms. They can happen in Writing Centers as well! 

A Writing Center is a place dedicated to teaching about writing and helping with assignments. They exist at many academic institutions- including Rowan University.

Rowan University’s Writing Center has existed in some form since the 1970’s. Initially, it was more similar to a “drop in situation” (As described by current director Celeste Del Russo). It evolved and expanded due to Deb Martin’s efforts in 2009.  Deb Martin was the director of the Writing Center during that time. She was also a professor teaching about tutoring writing. Her students expressed interest in starting a Writing Center at Rowan University. They joined the Mid-Atlantic Writing Center Association to learn more about maintaining the Writing Center. 

Because of their work we now have a dedicated community of tutors. These tutors provide one-on-one assistance to students with their writing. Their services are not reserved exclusively for essays. They help with any form of writing, from poetry to resumes. The Writing Center can even help with presentations, speeches, or multimedia assignments.

​Tutors also tutor studios in conjunction with Intensive Compositional classes. This is called Studio tutoring. Studio tutoring is when one tutor meets with members of an ICC1 class once a week. During that session, they provide additional resources and feedback for the members of the studio. The goal is to familiarize students with the Writing Center while building strong foundations for healthy writing practices. 

The tutors’ responsibilities don’t end with tutoring. They are also responsible for building a supportive environment for the employees, tutees, and the larger community.

One of the things she finds important to impress upon the tutors is the freedom of writing. The Writing Center is not just a place for editing work, or even just a place to read and write essays. It is a place to build long-term writing skills and practices. It is a place to explore and explain the importance of writing as an activity and concept. Ellie believes that in order to teach this to the students, the tutors must have the freedom to understand it. Ellie states, “...Giving Writing Centers freedom to help students with the writing process, with the development of skills rather than specific assignments, and to move beyond just looking at grammar and spelling is how Writing Centers are able to do our jobs.” The support the Writing Center is able to provide for tutors gives them the stability and freedom to explain writing in a multifaceted and complex way.

​The Writing Center in its environment, resources for all majors, and freedom for the tutors and students work together to create a community that is both educational and accessible to all. They improve to do this even more - by expanding into the community. 

They are already working on this goal with their events on campus. One such event is “Long Night Against Procrastination”. This is once a semester event that is in collaboration with the librarians at the Campbell Library. During this event the Writing Center stays open later to provide resources, help, planning, food, and DIY de-stressing activities to help students work on their final assignments. The next  “Long Night Against Procrastination” is planned for this November. 
There is another big way the Writing Center plans on expanding into the larger community. They will soon be connected to the Rowan University Writing Project. The Rowan University Writing Project is designed to help  K-12 teachers grow as writers and leaders in their professional lives through collaboration, workshops, and more. This not only helps the teachers, but ideally will deepen their students’ grasp of writing and allow them to use these skills in their lives, communities, and future careers. 

The Writing Center is going to support these goals. They do this by sending tutors to elementary schools to discuss and teach writing. They also will organize poetry events, book readings, and more at elementary schools. 

Additionally, there is a third way the Writing Center is planning on supporting the community. On Friday, October 20th, they will be hosting events for National Day on Writing. 

​These events will go from 9:00AM to 2:00PM in the Campbell Library. This event will commemorate National Day on Writing. During this event there will be snacks and candy, as well as writing related activities. There will also be raffles for Cookie Munchers coupons. 

This is the perfect event for those interested in experiencing the welcoming and freeing environment of the Writing Center!

During the summer of 2023, the Rowan Writing Arts social media tried something new. They launched their Non-conventional Genre Check posts. These posts are a nod to the preexisting series, Genre Checks. The Genre Check posts would explain a literary genre, like fantasy or horror.

To create something a little different, the Writing Arts department created the Non-conventional Genre Check series. These functioned under the same principles as the genre checks. However, they showcased genres that aren't confined to pen and paper. Some examples of genres covered this summer include, music, flags, scrapbooks, and more.  The purpose of these posts were to highlight the subtler stories that surround us.   

Captions and Designs Created by Cecilia Combs 

The series will end on Monday, August 21st. The last four posts in the Non-conventional Genre Check series were unique. They explored the communities behind certain nontraditional storytelling techniques. The Writing Arts department partnered with the Ad Club, Avant literary magazine, Cinema Workshop, and Writing Arts Club. Each of these is an undergraduate organization centered in the communications college. The Writing Arts social media featured a specialized genre check exploring the type of story each of these clubs create. The Ad Club focuses on direct, and personal stories that appeal directly to the audience. Avant Literary Magazine curates flexible, long lasting stories with increased relatability. Cinema Workshop creates stories with deep thematic resonance with their audiences. Lastly, the Writing Arts Club develops an environment which is centered around allowing these stories to be told. All of these clubs create stories, and as such all deserve notice from the Writing Arts Department.

This article will be elaborating on the storytelling techniques mentioned in the posts. To begin with, this article will discuss Rowan University's Ad Club. Benjamin Kahn, current president of Rowan University's Advertising Club states, "Advertising is all about telling the right stories. We collect data and weave that data into a narrative to give people more information about a product or service. Advertising tells us our options, why they matter, and why you should care. Consumers are always at the heart of advertising, so we work to find the story that speaks to our target audience."

Advertising employs some of the same techniques as in prose or rhetoric- using pathos, logos, ethos, or a type of story structure. However, its goal makes it unique. The advertiser's goal is to not only create an emotional reaction- but to use that response to create an observable response. In this way advertising has a direct connection to its audience. They are building a bridge between their product and the audience- and it's a straight walk from point A to point B.

This mirrors the intense intimacy created by poetry and the readers' emotions. Advertising focuses more on gaining observable outcomes from the emotive responses, instead of existing to explore emotions like poetry. Kahn summarized this point when he says, "In advertising, effective storytelling turns data and research into a narrative to create an emotional connection with consumers."

Advertising club is not alone in their focus on intense relationships between the audience and the author. Another club with an emphasis on this is Cinema Workshop.     
Parker Bennink, vice-president of Cinema Workshop, comments on the club and on its approach to storytelling. He says, "Film tells stories by placing the viewer into the shoes of a character (sometimes multiple) as that character is challenged by an unfamiliar circumstance and/or forced to make a change within themselves."

The introspection is especially impactful in film, says Bennink. "Cinema tells stories by connecting to its audience on an emotional level...t's much more than just entertainment, it's an oddly introspective and personal experience. In my opinion, the best characters and the best movies are the ones that make me take a look at myself, and I think that achieving that type of connection is the ultimate measure of success for a film." This may be due in fact to the visceral nature of films. You are not only reading about what a character is experiencing- you are experiencing it with them. You are seeing what they would be seeing, hearing what they are hearing, and you can relate more closely with the feelings they are feeling. Every form of storytelling involves empathy, but in film you can watch every emotion at play in the narrative.

If you want to learn more about the emotional components of film, consider joining Cinema Workshop. They Meet on Thursdays at 9:30 pm in Bozorth Hall. To find out more information visit their social media page @rowancinemaworkshop or their website.

The strong reactions audience members have to film is a strength shared by advertising stories and stories found in film. In advertising the strong reactions can lead to quantifiable outcomes- more purchases, donations, or visitors to an event. In film this reaction can lead to a change of outlook caused by the themes of the movie. It can also just result in a new favorite movie! The fact that audience members are able to see and hear the story can help make it more relatable. This increased relatability can be found in another club on campus.
Avant, a form of group storytelling, can be very relatable to specifically Rowan students. It archives this reliability from having a wide range of contributions- all of whom are a part of the Rowan community. An example of group storytelling, is found in Avant Literary Magazine, the literary magazine on Rowan University's campus. 

The president of the Club, Kelsey Pedersen, comments on the nature of the club. "t's not just the Editor in Chief making the decision... Every member of Avant has equal opportunity to give praise and critique." She describes the process of creating an Avant literary magazine. The Avant magazines are created by students at Rowan University. Any undergraduate student sends in pieces - poetry, prose, photography, art, and then the Avant club edits and selects which pieces go in the magazine. The club meets for two hours a week, where all the members discuss, critique, and vote on the pieces. Once the pieces are chosen, the club copy edits them as a group as well. Each piece "gets looked over by at least three sets of eyes..." as Pedersen states.

The multiple authors, editors, and club members strengthen the magazine by ensuring it is a flexible, and multi-faceted publication. The themes and focuses of each issue is sure to be unique and more reflective of Rowan's community thought process, than any one individual.

If you have an interest in submitting to Avant's literary magazine, or attending the club meetings, it's easy to do! Just follow them on Instagram, @Rowanavant, or look at their website. Meeting times and locations for their next few meetings are also available on Proflink.

However there is one form of storytelling that exists in all of these clubs. This form of storytelling also exists in every other community, class, or social situation. The storytelling that is always present with us is verbal storytelling. Though verbal storytelling is in every community, there is one club on campus where it is a priority. 
Rowan Writing Arts Club is a club where people (with an interest in writing) meet. They all write poetry or prose responding to a set of prompts. The participants of the club learn traditional writing techniques. However, they also learn and practice another set of storytelling techniques- the technique of looking at another person and telling them a story. Sometimes these stories might turn into written work later, and sometimes they exist on their own.

Former president of Writing Arts Club, Diana DeSimione states, "Hearing people share their stories at WAC not only made me feel like I got to know them better, it also inspired me to be in a creative environment...My connections to people in WAC inspired me to look for creativity in everyone I meet. Past the veneer of small talk, majors, and day jobs, I want to learn about the passions that keep people going."

Verbal storytelling not only practices crucial storytelling skills- like pacing, deciding what works for your audience, word choice, and more, it also works to build communities and bring people closer together. If you're interested in Writing Arts Club, check out their Instagram @rowanwritingartsclub and their website which can be found here.

The storytelling techniques cultivated by these campus clubs strengthen multiple avenues of communication. These techniques facilitate the sharing of ideas in different fields. They also help to connect communities to each other and to the wider campus.

There are many options for communication based clubs available to undergraduates. From Hitchcock to Hemmingway, Rowan University houses students researching all types of storytelling. This article doesn't even scratch the service of all the ways to share ideas on campus! 

During the upcoming semester consider attending one of these club's meetings. Learn about a storytelling style you are unfamiliar with. Keep an eye out for stories and writing lessons. You can find narratives everywhere around you - even in places you'd never expect. There are stories hiding in album covers, in tree trunks, on posters-almost anywhere you can think of. It's our job as writers to coax out all stories we can, not just the traditional.

You can find stories in everything if you know how to look.